FSU VS USF Tampa

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discovery398

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Calling all Noles and Bulls! I'm trying to decide between FSU and USF Tampa for undergraduate and I would appreciate any thoughts you guys have about either school.

USF
pros: good opportunities for undergrad research, close to home (1.5 hours), lots to do in Tampa
cons: I didn't like the campus that much, dorms I'll be in are very old w/ community bathrooms, next to no connections with on-campus hospitals

FSU
pros: campus is VERY nice, all dorms are practically brand new, more of a "college" feel, higher rank in many fields
cons: 6 hours away from home, one hospital that's miles off campus, not as big of a push for undergrad research vs USF

I'll be majoring in Biology on the Pre-med track and plan to go out of state for Med school.

Thanks for the input!
 
I can't really comment on those undergrads, but you might not want to plan on going out of state for med school. You have a bunch of great med schools right there that'll be MUCH cheaper (~80k) for you to attend. Also, your chances of getting in to your in-state schools will be a lot higher.
 
The superficial reasons you listed are part of the reasons schools are jackin' up their tuition to pimp out campuses. Smh (I'm not criticizing you; I'm criticizing our education system).

You want to go to school to learn and build the best CV you can in order to develop a career for yourself. You said that USF will provide better resources for you, so definitely go there. As of now, it looks like I will be going to USF for med school, so I know you can also very easily find cheap housing in the area. Live in the dorm one year and then move out once you know the area better.

You will also likely want to go to med school in-state once you realize the cost. And (I'm biased) Morsani is great school. Just looking at ortho, this year they had 9 matches at WashU, USC, UVA, UVM, U of Florida (x2), Penn State, Northwestern, Wright State. I think it's a good place for you to make connections.

(And community bathrooms are nbd. I lived in a dorm for 4 yrs where men and women shared the same communal bathroom. Most of the time you are in there alone, and when you aren't, you have someone to talk to while you are showering)
 
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Thanks for both of your replies!

@DKMA looking at my list I'm slowly realizing that I want to go to FSU because it gives me that college feel...lots of brick, huge football stadium, etc and I think that after a few semesters that feeling will wear off as I get used to the campus.

Does anyone know how undergrad research is like in FSU? Lots of opportunities?
 
I could definitely sympathize with that. But I know things I valued going into college are completely different than the things I valued while in college which are different than the things I value about college now that I've graduated. The most important thing is choosing where you think you will have the most success. You will make a great group of friends and have a lot fun no matter where you go and you can have a great college experience anywhere you go

If there is a cost difference b/w the schools, also go with the cheapest. Trust me. Minimize debt
 
DKMA said:
I could definitely sympathize with that. But I know things I valued going into college are completely different than the things I valued while in college which are different than the things I value about college now that I've graduated. The most important thing is choosing where you think you will have the most success. You will make a great group of friends and have a lot fun no matter where you go and you can have a great college experience anywhere you go

If there is a cost difference b/w the schools, also go with the cheapest. Trust me. Minimize debt
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I feel like I can't go wrong with either school tbh, so I guess a choice between the two is a good problem.

What undergrad did you go to, if you don't mind me asking? What would you tell high-school-senior you if you had the chance?

I hope you get into USF's med school btw, I heard their new building will be super nice & high-tech
 
allantois said:
It really doesn't matter. Go where you like best.
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Yeah, I definitely know that I'm building my resume and school name won't mean much, if anything.

I feel like I would have more fun at FSU, but it is really hard to see where I'll be happiest- I wish I could see into the future!
 
If you dislike traffic, stay the hell away from usf. Usf is a commuter school, like 90% of students live off campus so dealing with traffic is everyday and it's not fun. Parking is a nightmare too.

But srsly, either school is fine, they're equivalent in my mind. If you want that on-campus college experience with fun big time football and stuff then go to fsu.

Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app
 
One thing to keep in mind as the size of the student body and class size.

My experiences with FSU have been great and I am able to find research, volunteering opportunities very easily.

The traffic in Tally is not bad at all. Tallahassee is a true collegetown and if you want that vibe, come here.
 
As a current undergrad at USF I can hopefully give you some insight and make you're decision easier.

Pros:
I like USF, the campus is big and there are lots and I mean lots of research opportunities. To be honest there are a lot of hospitals to choose from whether you want to volunteer or shadow. To name a few hospitals in the Tampa area Shriners Hospital for Children, St Joseph Children Hospital, Tampa General Hospital, Tampa Memorial Hospital, Moffitt Cancer Center, USF's Alzheimer Byrd Institute, and many more great places these are the ones I could come up with out of the top of my head. The night life is really great, I usually go with my friends to SOHO; which is a strip of bars full of college students. It's a nice place to meet new friends and to possibly create a new relationship, lol. I love the fact that the professors at USF care for your success, if I need help the professors will usually stay after class and go through with what you're having a hard time with. At the same time, there are those professors who don't care, which there are very few of. The clubs at USF are great, as with all big state schools there are a ton of clubs! The pre-med club is really cool though, they have physicians come in and talk about their experiences in medical school, why they decided medicine and so on and so forth. They are also willing to let you shadow them! The physicians usually leave their email address at the end of meeting so you can contact them and set up a time to shadow with them. As I mentioned before there are so many research opportunities, all which are really great. I will be doing research this summer at USF's Alzheimer Byrd Institute regarding Immunology/Toxicology, I was able to obtain this research spot with a simple email! Tampa is a great city, I feel as if it's getting bigger each year. You have awesome festivals my favorite being Gasparilla, haha. It's a great place to meet new people and make potentially life-long friends.

Cons:
While I love Tampa, the traffic is horrendous. Once 4:00pm-5:00pm hits, it becomes impossible to move. You'll be in traffic for a good 30 minutes or longer. USF isn't really known for its sports, but the USF football team did really good this year. At the end of the year we were ranked 29th in the Nation. With that being said, this school has NO team spirit sadly. Yes, there are some of us who make it to the game but its not like the bigger known football programs like UF, FSU, and UM. Parking at USF is pretty bad as well, I've heard stories this semester of people's cars getting hit while parked, then the culprit writing at note saying "sorry" and drives off. It's kind of scary especially if you drive a newer car.

I can't think of any other reasons why I dislike USF/Tampa because the pro's easily out weigh the con's. If you have any more question feel free to PM me! Good luck on your decision!
 
Id say go FSU.

1) Much more authentic of a college experience. College town, most people live in freshman dorms, lots of good athletics, etc. Plus the FSU name is farrrrrrr more respected both inside and outside of Florida. Like the people above said, USF is a commuter school, which just sucks all around. It makes things like school spirit/camaraderie and reputation go down the drain.

2) There will be plenty of research wherever you go, and you can always just pick up a summer research gig at USF or elsewhere if you want. Plus when I interviewed at USf for med school I found their research facilities ..."underwhelming"

3) FSU Med recruits like 50% of their students from FSU undergrad. While you may plan on going OOS now, money (FSU Med is insanely cheap IS) and grades (nailing that 4.0/34 MCAT and getting into Harvard is harder than it sounds) may not align with that goal.
 
I'd vote for FSU also, especially if you want that college feel. That's one thing I loved about UF. You won't be able to get that atmosphere again as a student and savor those years!. Just remember, know when to buckle down and not get caught up by all the football games, parties, and events going on. Sadly, I've seen very bright friends get distracted here at UF and not do too well in school. They spent a couple of years patching things up again. That's my $0.02. Good luck!
 
Went to both...

First of all, you don't know what you'll be doing. You can realistically acquire the same opportunities to get into medical school anywhere. So I won't really make your decision based on those kinds of things. Most pre-meds change their mind. So I simply wouldn't worry about the med school part of this equation. Focus on college before you worry about med school.

Go where you will be most happy. FSU is a great time. Lots of fun. More of a college town. Football season is a blast. Personally, I prefer Tallahassee to Tampa. Tallahassee is actually a beautiful place. You get a little more of seasons by being a few hours north. If I was a HSer I would pick FSU > USF every time. Just my preference.
 
discovery398 said:
I'll be majoring in Biology on the Pre-med track and plan to go out of state for Med school.
Click to expand...


I felt the same way when I attended undergrad in Florida. But as I started med school applications and realizing how difficult the whole process was, that mindset changed to attending any school that accepted me and when I had a choice I couldn't pass up Florida's in state tuition.

Also, I agree that FSU strongly favors its own graduates for med school.
 
Honestly, they're about on par with each other.

FSU is a real college town and will give you that college experience that you're seeking.

USF is def more urban.

Don't know that one is drastically better than the other. FSU was my second choice when I applied to colleges and I got in but went elsewhere out of state.

Either way, I think you'll be happy regardless and you'll gain the experience that you need when you need it.
 
kawaiipupae said:
I felt the same way when I attended undergrad in Florida. But as I started med school applications and realizing how difficult the whole process was, that mindset changed to attending any school that accepted me and when I had a choice I couldn't pass up Florida's in state tuition.

Also, I agree that FSU strongly favors its own graduates for med school.
Click to expand...

Lol, I went out of state for undergrad and came right back to FL for medschool. In-state FTW.
 
FSU is a more true college experience and is also ranked higher nationally in all major categories. FSU is a heavy research institution, so if you want to do that, there are options. There's also a boat load of community service opportunities. I was the Assistant Director of Dance Marathon while I was there and spent a lot of time at the COM and Shand's Hospital. They also have a student First Responders unit so you can get EMT training if you want. If you're worried about getting solid ECs at FSU don't worry.
 
Went to FSU for undergrad and loved it. Honestly either one of them has the infrastructure to give you what you need and it'll be more of what you make of it. If you go to FSU and party yourself away and struggle in class then that won't help. If you go to USF and don't get involved since you may not get that true "college town" feel then that won't help either. Both are large state universities with plenty of research opportunities in various science disciplines. I would just pick whichever school and atmosphere you feel you could function better in.
 
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